Review: Trader Joe’s Vintage Orange Cream

It is not very often I get to go to Trader Joe’s the nearest one being about forty-five minutes away seems so close yet when I need to grocery shop gets further and further away. One this day I was heading to my old college roommate’s town to go on a brewery tour at the Samuel Adams Brewery in Jamaica Plains, MA. On the way knowing I pass right by a Trader Joe’s and I stopped there as a rest stop.  Searching the drink aisle I came across the vintage soda line and picked up a four pack for later.

To be honest the closest thing I have had to an orange cream soda is an Orange Julius. The drink was bright orange light a typical orange soda would be but it was not clear the solid orange color burning a hole in my retina. I took my first sip, sweet orange cream flavor rushed over my palate. The first thing I noticed was the real sugar, sweet but no too heavy. The second was the sweet orange flavor being chased by the creamy finish, that masked the further complex orange notes to come through. Although I missed the complete orange taste the creaminess did remind me of that combination or orange and vanilla of an Orange Julius but had the sharp bite of the carbonation to follow it.

It was another good pick for a first time try. I would buy this again but it would not make one of my everyday soda lists.

Review: HyDrive Energy Extra Strength

As you may know I love carbonated drinks but non-carbonated drinks have their place too. I recently wanted to start playing a sport I played in college, ultimate Frisbee. I took a bottle of this HyDrive black cherry with me to the fields with me to try it out.

HyDrive extra Strength has a total of 195 mg of caffeine in one bottle, where there regular drinks have about 145mg. It has a real strong deep cherry smell. The Slim bottle profile is a bit easier to grab on the go. The base of the beverage is plain purified water. It is an enhanced water and energy drink with no carbonation. The taste starts of as a good deep cherry flavor, goes more a sweetly sour middle, and a smoother dry finish. Overall I like the taste is unique, maybe a bit too much of the citrus acid and artificial sweeteners overpowering the cherry flavor. Not bad and it’s got decent kick to it.

Review: Oogavé Watermelon Cream

Oogave Soda was not a known company to me until recently. A blogger friend of mine at Sodagiant had mentioned to me his contact with the company and it perked my interest. The first agave sweetened soda company from Denver, Colarado is a small soda business that was started just recently in 2005. The brainchild of Esteban Anson formed at his small natural food restaurant, he later decided to distribute accross the United States. I recently was sent a six soda sampler from the company with a slight casuality in shipping, I was very excited to try the most unique flavor of the bunch, watermelon cream.

How does it smell and look?

Opening up the bottle I didn’t know really what to expect, than it hit me. A bubblegum smell hit my nose, fruity and deep caramel sugary notes. The pale pink hue pours out lightly carbonated ready to drink.

How does it taste?

Wow, I knew at first it smelled like bubblegum, but when I took my first gulp I was very surprised the smell and taste were one. I mean if I tired real hard I could separate the two distinct flavors, the cream and watermelon. It was really one of the most unique sodas I have ever tried. The cream flavor may have been a little to strong with all the extra sweetness, from the agave, to really get a stronger sense of the watermelon inside the bottle. There was a deep sugary taste on the back end with raw sugar or caramel notes.

Would I buy this again?

Currently, Oogave is not available in my state of Massachusetts, but I would be able to order it online. This particular flavor I am glad I got to try once yet I don’t think its quite the flavor for me. The sugar being a little to strong on it and with the cream slightly overpowering the subtle watermelon. I would however send this as a gift to people to give it a try as I did. I am looking forward to trying some of the more classic flavors as the month goes on.